New Moon Jacob Black's POV
by ashley.greene.luver
Summary: so, this is new moon form chapters 5-18 as of my houghts now.. sub. to change its in JAcob black's POV
1. Chapter 1

okay, this is my FIRST ever writing piece. I am currently writing it, so i I am writing as fast as I can. I hope you enjoy. I start on chapter 5, because thats when. jacob comes into the story.

DICLAIMER

I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT. I OWN NOTHING. NO COPYWRITE INFRIGMENT INTENED.

**CHAPTER 5** **Reunion.**

I was sitting in the house talking with my father about his up-coming fishing plans. I didn't like feeling the obligation to sit and watch basketball with him. I didn't mind basketball, but it wasn't my favourite past-time. It surprised me to hear a deafening roar of an engine I recognized all too well. I jumped out the door still surprised.

"Bella!" I was so glad to see her. She hadn't been around in a while and she brightened my outlook on the day entirely.

"Hey Jacob!"

Bella didn't look okay. I mean, she was Bella, but she wasn't. She was vacant, long gone.

"You grew again!" Bella accused, sounding amazed.

I couldn't help laughing."Six five."

"Is it ever going to stop?" she was shaking her head at me. "You're huge!"

"still a beanpole though." I grimaced, I wanted muscles, like my friends. "come inside! You're all wet."

I led the way back to the house, putting my hair back into its usual ponytail, boring, but necessary.

"I ducked through our tiny(well, for me) front door as I called to my dad." Hey dad," look who stopped by."

Dad was reading his favourite classic for what? The 3 billionth time? He set it down, and he wheeled over to me and Bella.

"Well what do you know. It's good to see you bella."

It was funny to watch my dad's hand consume Bella's in a massive handshake.

"What brings you here? Everything okay with Charlie?" My dad's spoken concern made me smile, but bella's response made me smile wider.

"Yes, absolutely. I just wanted to see Jacob-Ihavn't seen him in forever."

"Can you stay for dinner?" Billy seemed eager too, for whatever reason.

"No, I've got to feed Charlie, you know."

"I'll call him now," Billy suggested. "He's always invited." Bella didn't look comfortable, she laughed to mask it though.

"It's not like you'll never see me again. I promise I'll be back again soon-so much you'll get sick of me."

I wondered what she was implying.

"Okay maybe next time."

I wanted to get out of the house. Now. "So Bella, what do you want to do?"

"Whatever. What were you doing before I interrupted?" I was fighting with my father; want to get me back to that? I wasn't finished. Ha-ha like I would do that to Bella.

"I was just heading out to work on my car, but we can do something else. . ."

No, that's perfect! I'd love to see you car."

She seemed geniuinly interested, on the outside; but it didn't convince me.

"Okay, It's out back, in the garage."

"see you later." Bella called as we ducked out the door into the rain.

The garage wasn't much, just some plastic sheds, my friends helped my screw together.

We got in and she looked out of her league of cars, she studied the grille.

"what kind of Volkswagen is that?"

"It's an old rabbit-1986, a classic."

"How's it going?"

"Almost finished." I replied cheerfully. And then i dropped my voice down, dad could hear me even out here." My dad made good on his promise last spring."

"ah." She knew what I meant. She didn't want to open the subject, who could blame her? I left it drop there.

"Jacob, what do you know about motorcycles?" Bella was awfully curious tonight. I shrugged

"Some. Embry has a dirt bike. We work on it together sometimes. Why?"

"Well . . .,"she looked like she was deliberating whether or not she could trust me."I recently acquired a couple of bikes, and they're not in the greatest condition. I wonder if you could get them running?"

So this was why she would be sticking around.

"Cool."I always love a challenge, and one including, or even about Bella, I welcomed warmly."I'll give it a try."

She held up her finger for her "buts".

"The thing is, Charlie doesn't exactly approve of motorcycles. Honestly, he'd probably bust a vein in his forehead if he knew about this. So you can't tell Billy."

I couldn't help smiling, I knew Charlie, probably better than she did, since he came fishing every other Saturday. I knew Billy wouldn't mention it, but I wouldn't tell him regardless. "Sure, sure I understand."

"I'll pay you." Was she serious? Did she actually expect me to take her money? She definitely wasn't the Bella I grew up with. It offended me.

"No. I want to help. You can't pay me."

"Well. . . How about a trade, then?" It was obvious she was making it up as she went; she seemed to like what she was doing though."I only need one bike-and I'll need lessons, too. So how about this? I'll give you the other bike, and you can teach me."

She was good at negotiating!

"Swee-eet!"I made it two syllables because she made me a deal i couldn't ignore.

"Wait a sec-are you legal yet? When's your birthday?" Is that all she thought that would stop me?

"You missed it." I couldn't help teasing her."I'm 16."

"Not that your age ever stopped you before." She muttered this; I thought that she would have remembered, oh well."Sorry about your birthday."

"Don't worry about it. What are you now? Forty?"

She sniffed, obviously trying to make her vacant, lost body sarcastic; I still couldn't believe how dead she looked. Whatever _he _said, he messed her up pretty bad.

"Close."

She said this, breaking my reverie.

"We'll have to make a joint party to make up for it."

"Sounds like a date." I couldn't help it, even though she didn't mean for the word to have this effect on me, my eyes sparkled, excited. She noticed this, and probably thought she should rein in her _fake _enthusiasm. Then she had an idea.

"Maybe when the bikes are finished-our present to ourselves."

"Deal. When will you bring them down?" I hoped she already had them here. Maybe that's why she was eager to get out here. HA! She seemed embarrassed at whatever she was about to tell me, because she bit her lip. "They're in my truck now."

"Great." And I really meant it, because she could spend time here with me longer this way.

"Will Billy see if we bring them around?"

Ha! That blind old bat?

"We'll be sneaky."

Even though my father would never see us, I put on the charade of easing them through the trees. I was strong for my age and she seemed amazed, probably remembering a struggle getting them in.

"These aren't half bad," I appraised these bike and they probably looked like twisted black junk to her, not knowing mechanics. To me, I could tell they were big sellers. "This on here will actually be worth something when I'm done-it's an old Harley sprint."

"That one's yours then."

"Are you sure?" although i figured this was to fulfill some crazy wish of hers, and she probably didn't care which one she got, I felt compelled to ask her.

"Absolutely."

"These are going to take some cash though we'll have to save up for parts first."

"_We _nothing!" she completely disagreed with me. "if you doing this for free, I'll pay for parts."

"I don't know." I muttered this, knowing i lost the money battle.

"I've got some money saved. College fund, you know."

Her college funds, of course. I just nodded. She must've been thinking about her luck. She was probably thinking 'only a teenage boy would agree to this:

Deceiving both our parents while repairing dangerous vehicles using money meant for my college education.' Bella coming, had been a great gift. She really needed me, almost as much as I had missed her.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer. as much as I would love it to be true. I dont own twilight. neither do you.

**CHAPTER 6 Friends**

The Motorcycles didn't need to be hidden any further than my garage. My dad could never have manoeuvred those uneven rocks, with his wheelchair.

I started pulling the bike Bella chose, the red one, to piece first, mine could wait for later. I decided she might not want the cold hard ground, so I opened the door to my Rabbit for her to sit in. I started talking almost immediately, while I worked. I talked mostly about subjects Bella wouldn't need to have much input on, I knew she wasn't in the mood. I talked about my school, going on about my classes, even though I'm one year younger than her, and my two very best friends.

"Quil and Embry?" Bella interrupted. "Those are unusual names." Well of course. They are Quileute names, what does she expect?

I laughed as I phrased my response. "Quils' is a hand-me-down, and I think Embry got named after a soap opera star. I can't say anything, though. They fight dirty if you start on their names-they'll tag team you."

She gave me a one eyebrow-raised suspicion look. "Good friends."

"No, they are. Just don't mess with their names."

Dangit!

"Jacob?"

"Is that Billy?" Bella asked, even though she knew it wasn't.

"No." I ducked my head so she couldn't see me blush. It was silly to do so, but i couldn't help it."Speak of the Devil and he shall appear." I mumbled this so Embry wouldn't hear.

"Jake? Are you out here?"

I sighed, let the teasing begin."Yeah!"

Quil and Embry appeared around the corner of the shed. Quil is brawny and muscular, i should be so lucky. Embry was more slender, but still rough, great friends. They stopped short once they reached the garage. Embry was looked between me and Bella, and I could see the accusation, in his eyes. I shot him a look to quit it.

"Hey guys." I only said this half-heartedly, I knew Embry would jump to the wrong conclusion. Oops he went there.

"Hey Jake." Quil answered. He couldn't look away from Bella. She probably felt compelled to show the emotion she didn't have in her. She smiled. It bugged me when Quil responded to that with a wink.

"Hi there." Quil was talking to Bella. I probably should introduce them, be polite.

"Quil, Embry-this is _my friend, _Bella." I emphasized 'my friend'. To give them a hint. They still didn't get it. They exchanged that look I knew I would have to bug later.

"Charlie's kid, right?" Quil asked Bella.

"That's right." When they shook hands, he flexed his bicep, just to prove he was stronger than me, no doubt.

"I'm Quil Ateara." He announced this proudly before letting go.

"Hey, Bella. I'm Embry, Embry Call-you probably already figured that out, though." Nervous, I stifled a snort.

Bella nodded, embarrassed by the sudden crowd. "Nice to meet you guys too."

"So what are you guys doing?" Quil asked me, looking at Bella. I decided to get his attention with more emphasise.

"_Bella and I _are going to fix up these bikes."

That got their attention; they started drilling me with educated, but easy questions. Bella didn't care, or know about what we were talking about. We got into our conversation a little too much i think, because Bella stood up to leave. I looked up apologetic, "we're boring you, aren't we?"

"Naw." I could tell she wasn't lying, it felt strange to her; I could read it in her vacant face."I just have to go cook dinner for Charlie."

"Oh, well. . . well, I'll finish taking these apart tonight and figure out what more we'll need to get started rebuilding them. When do you want to come back?" I hoped she would say tomorrow, she didn't seem like the religious type, what with her liking a mythical leech and all. But who knows.

"Could I come back tomorrow?" Bella asked urgently, as if Sundays were I big bother to her, I could only guess why.

I could only smile as I showed my great delight. "That would be great!"

"If you make a list, we can go shopping for parts," Bella suggested.

My face fell a little, I felt strange not paying at all. "I'm still not sure if I should let you pay for everything."

Bella shook her head. "No way. I'm bankrolling this party. You just have to supply the labour and expertise."

Embry rolled his eyes at Quil; I knew exactly what we looked like to them. They would get an earful later on.

"That doesn't seem right." I shook my head, in defeat though.

"Jake if I took these to a mechanic, how much do you think he would charge me."

I smiled again. "Okay, you're getting a deal."

"Not to mention riding lessons."

Quil whispered widely at Embry, _Sounds like a date eh? Perfect for our old Jake! _Bella I knew didn't catch it but I reached up to smack Quils head.

"That's it, get out." I muttered.

"No really, I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow Jake." Bella was out the door with that.

As soon as Bella was out of hearing distance, Quil and Embry called "Wooooo!" I scuffled up from my place on the floor and punch Quil in the gut, while smacking Embry's head. Quil said ouch, just as Embry shouted Hey!

"If either of you two so much as set one toe on my land tomorrow I'll kick your butt so hard, I don't even want to think about it."

"sure, sure, Jake my bud, now tell us about Bella. What's she like?" Embry changed the subject as we sat back down beside the bikes.

"Well, she has a great personality, most of the time." I grimaced at the end, as i remembered her this evening when she got out of her truck.

"Most of the time?" Quil asked.

"Well, see she was dating that _bloodsucker_ "They hissed under their breaths."- And he broke it off, not 4 months ago, and she's like, gone, vacant. She hurts so badly and I'm not going to do that to her, make it worse you know?"

"No, Jake, we understand." Embry gave me a reassuring look of understanding.

We left it at that and chattered about school, and other topics. Before long we were wiping our hands on our pants, and saying goodbye for the night. I went to bed early that night.

* * * * *

I couldn't help getting up at 6 in the morning on Sunday. I was anticipating Bella's arrival, even though she shouldn't show up for another 3 or 4 hours. Then at 8 in the morning, we got a call.

"Hello?" my dad's husky old voice answered.

"Oh hello Charlie, how are you? That's good. Sure that would be very nice thank you. Yes, yes I will be sure to call him. Yes she mentioned coming up again soon yesterday evening. Okay, yes I'll call Harry and then be right down. Thanks again Charlie. Bye now."

Genius on Bella's part, of course, she was only being cautious, but I could tell inviting Billy down with harry Clearwater to go see the "big game" with Charlie.

I was sitting in the living room holding the umbrella so Bella wouldn't have to get too wet. I heard the engine come around the corner so i jumped out the door just as she was killing the engine.

"Charlie called-said you were on your way." I grinned at her, and Bella smiled back. It was subtle, but i could tell that emotion hadn't been shown in a while.

"Hi Jacob."

"Good call on inviting Billy up." I held my hand out for a high five. I just had to laugh when she could barley reach my hand.

I gave her a brief tour of our cramped house while we waited for Harry to come pick up Billy. As soon as the door shut on Billy we started our plans.

"So where to Mr. Goodwrench?" Bella joked

I pulled out our "Grocery list" and smoothed it out on the kitchen counter.

"We'll start at the dump first; see if we can get lucky. This could get a little expensive," I warned her. "Those bikes are going to need a lot of help before they'll run again."

She wasn't worried, so I added a ballpark estimate.

"I'm talking about maybe more than a hundred dollars here."

She pulled out her check book, fanned herself and said: "We're covered," Just as she rolled her eyes.

It was sort of strange to be ankle deep in garbage at the dump as I picked up pieces of metal bent this way and that. I was usually a happy person, but if it was possible; bella made me happier. On our way to Checker Auto Parts, I commented on the gaping hole in her dashboard.

"Did the stereo break?" I asked, i had a suspicion and she could prove it right or wrong in one answer.

"Yeah." She lied, she was always such a bad liar. It didn't break. So it was something else.

"Who took it out? There's a lot of damage." I assessed this by poking around the cavity.

"I did." Something made her want it out all the sooner.

I laughed. "Maybe you shouldn't touch the motorcycles too much."

"No problem."

On the way to Hoquiam I chattered more about Quil and Embry. But in my head i was trying figure out the stereo thing.

"I'm doing all the talking," I complained, I wanted her to talk to, see how her life has been. "Why don't you take a turn? What's going down in Forks? It has to be more exciting than La Push.

"Wrong." Bella sighed. "There's really nothing. You friends are a lot more interesting than mine. I like your friends. Quil's funny."

I frowned, This was the truth i was going to tell her, but I ment it in another way too, she would catch on.

"I think Quil likes you, too."

Bella laughed. "He's a little young for me."

My frown deepened she hadn't caught on.

"He's not that much younger than you. Just a year and a few months." Finally she caught on. She kept her voice light and teasing.

"Sure, but, Considering the difference in maturity between guys and girls, don't you think you have to count that in dog years? What does that make me? About 12 years older?"

I rolled my eyes laughing at her way to shake off my hint." Okay, but if you're going to get picky like that, you have to average in size, too. You're so small, I'll have to knock ten years off your total."

"5'4" is perfectly average." She sniffed. "It's not my fault you're a freak."

We kept bantering like that until Hoquiam, still arguing over the correct formula for age-Bella lost two more years because she couldn't change a tire, but gained one back for being in charge of the bookkeeping at her house-until we were in Checker, and then I had to concentrate again. We got everything left on my 'grocery list' and I was confident I could make a lot of progress off our haul.

By the time we got back to La Push, Bella was 23 and I was 30- I was totally weiging the scales in my favour, just so she might like me better.

Dad hadn't returned yet, so we didn't have a need to be sneaky with the parts. As soon as everything was on the plastic floor next to my tool box I got to work. We still talked, and laughed while I expertly combed through the scraps looking for the correct pieces. I'm sure my hands looked too big for the jobs they were doing. She probably thought Quil and Embry were obeying my threat, but they were busy today.

The time passed so quickly it was dark outside, and Billy was calling us.

She jumped up to help me, but didn't want to touch things she shouldn't.

"Just leave it," I told her. "I'll work on it later tonight."

"Don't forget schoolwork or anything." Bella cautioned me.

Little did she realize I got up so early, and did it while I waited for her.

"Bella?" Charlie's voice boomed from the darkness

"Shoot," she muttered."Coming!" Bella called.

"Let's go!" I smiled, enjoying the cloak-and-dagger.

I snapped the light off, and for a moment Bella was blind. To avoid her tripping I Grabbed her small, cold hand and towed her out of the garage and through the trees, I knew the path like the back of my head.

But even though we were on the path, we both tripped over our feet in the darkness. So we were both laughing as we broke through the last of the trees. Our parents were in the door way.

"Hey, Dad!" we both said at the same time, which started the laughing, and giggles again!

Charlie looked at Bella in surprise, because she was probably just coming out of her bombshell. He then noticed my hand around her's, and again, people would make suspicions.

"Billy invited us for dinner." Charlie told Bella, he was absentminded, thinking about something.

"My super secret recipe for spaghetti. Handed down for generations."

I couldn't help snorting."I don't think Ragu's been around that long."

My tiny house, that crowded me each and every day, become even more crowded. Harry Clearwater had also been invited, and he brought Sue, Leah, and Seth.

Seth seemed to idolize me, which, i can remember doing to some others at his age. We had to eat in our yard due to lack of table space, or otherwise. The men talked about baseball, fishing, Sue also teased her husbands diet. I mostly kept my focus on Bella, but Seth kept interrupting whenever he thought he was being excluded.

Sadly, the rain broke up the get-together, so I had to say goodbye to Bella, but she would be back, I knew it.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 7 Bikes**

School. Strangely the weekend had seemed like a lifetime long. It was Monday morning, I had gotten an okay sleep, but i was restless. I dreamt about Bella, we were racing down a blacktop of highway and she was as preety as ever. I knew it was wrong. I knew she felt different. But i felt a change coming. It was going to be big, i could feel it.

At school, Embry and Quil caught up with me.

"So, how's Bella Jake?"

"Yeah, how is she Jake?"

"Guy's quit it, it's not like that."

"Sure, sure Jake, whatever you say." Embry patted my shoulder.

I slammed my locker door with a little more force than nessacary.

"So do you think you two will become a thing?" Quil sounded casual but i knew he wanted to be her boyfriend, instead of me.

"I want us too, but she is hanging onto that, _leech-_"I whispered the word, in public at least." And I don't think she feels the same way." I felt my face fall.

"Well, give her time. He isn't coming back right? So you just give her time." Embry had great advice.

"Come on, i can't be late for math again this week or I'm suspended." Quil changed the subject for me.

School was a drag, but on the walk home, Embry decided he would bring up a different subject.

"I have been thinking, and what if Sam's gang isn't as bad as they sound?"

"What?! Are yu kidding me Embry? You hate them more than I do. Why would you say that?" I fumed, as I sputtered this. Embry hated them more than I did.

"Was that what you were thinking about while you were isolated this past week?"Quil got his say in, and that did it.

"You know what? I think they are okay, in fact, i don't think they are doing anything wrong. Think about it guys, what have they done?"

Embry's hands had started to quiver, and now it had escalated to his arms.

"whoa, calm down Embry. Look, We'll tlak to you later okay?"

"Yeah, see ya."

Quil and I backed off towards the store. Before i left for my house, I asked quil something that had been bugging me since after school.

"Quil?"

"Yeah jake?"

"I've been thinking,"

"Oh, no not you too!"

"No, no , no Quil, what if Sam got to Embry? Think, it's what happened to Jared and Paul, those seniors, remember? He hates thme, he disappears for a week, totally disappeared, and then he's all of the sudden on his side?"

"Thats a good idea jake, but i gotta go help in the store, I'll look out for something extra, like clues, okay?"

"Sounds good, the Bikes, are almost done. See ya!"

I arrived at my house shortly after that.

Bella was late, so I waited for her on the porch steps.

"Hey Bella." She seemed to relax from whatever she was doing when she saw me, and, in a way she relaxed me from the fit of anger with Embry.

"Hey Jacob." Bella called as she waved to Billy in the front living room.

"Let's get to work," I said in a low, eager voice.

Bella laughed at this. "You seriously aren't sick of me yet?"

She probably thought I was desperate, but she didn't know how much i cared for her. I lead the way around back to the garage, as I said "Nope. Not yet."

"Please let me know when I start to get on your nerves. I don't want to be a pain."

"Okay." I laughed, and it was from my throat, but still , she amused me. "I wouldn't hold your breath for that though."

She seemed shocked as she walked into the garage and saw her motorbike standing up.

"Jake, you're amazing." She breathed in awe.

I laughed."I get obsessive when I have a project." I shrugged, changing the subject."If I had any brains I'd drag it out a little bit."

"Why?" Bella questioned my suen change of subject, in a way.

I looked down, embarrassed, because I knew her heart was somewhere else, but I had to tell her. I was fighting with myself, still, as I looked up after a long time. "Bella, if I told you that I couldn't fix these bikes, what would you say?"

She didn't answer right away, so I looked up to see her expression.

"I would say . . . that's too bad, but I'll bet we could figure out something else to do. If we got really desperate, we could even do homework."

I smiled as my shoulders relaxed. She didn't know it, but that was the correct answer. I sat down to get to work. "So you think you'll still come over when I'm done, then?"

"Is that what you ment?" she shook her head. "I guess I _am_ taking advantage of your very underprices mechanical skills. But as long as you let me come over, I'll be here."

"Hoping to see quil again?" I teased.

"You caught me."

I chuckled. "You really like spending time with me?" I asked, marvelled

"Very, very much. And I'll prove it. I have to work tomorrow, but Wenesay we'll do something non-mechanical."

"Like what?"

"I have no idea. We can go to my place so you won't be tempted to be obsessive. You coul bring your schoolwork-you have to be getting behind, because I know I am."

"Homework might be a good idea." I made a face, but only because it reminded me of that afternoon with Embry.

"Yes," Bella agree. "We'll have to start being responsible occasionally, or Billy and Charlie aren't going t be so easygoing about this." Bella made a gesture indicating us as a single entity. I liked that, I beamed.

"Homework once a week?" that's all i need. I proposed the idea.

"Maybe we better go twice." Bella was probably given an armload today.

I gave a heavy sigh, I idn't like homework, but I would be with Bella. I then reached over into my secret gracery bag stash and pulled out to cans of soda. I cracked one open and handed it to Bella, then cracked open mine, an held it up.

"Here's to responsibility." I toasted. "Twice a week."

"And recklessness every day in between." Bella emphasized.

We grinned, and touched the cans together.

* * * * *

Bella left later than usual, so I went inside after she left, because I had done so much work on those bikes.

"So, how's Bella, Son?" Dad asked me at dinner.

"Oh, she's good, she has to work tomorrow, but on Wednesday, we will be going to her house to do some homework."

"That's sounds good. Have you forgotten about your other friends? Quil, or Embry?" Billy pushed.

"No, it's picking up in the store, so Quil can't come over as often." I was reluctant to say anything about Embry, of course he was just innocently curious.

"An Embry?"

I heaved a big sigh while wondering how to start."Well, Embry missed last the last week of school, and then he came back today."

"So? Maybe he was just, err, sick, err, or something." Billy stammered. He knew more than me.

"Well, he comes back, right? And then on the way home from school, he starts speaking of Sam's gang like it's the best thing to happen in this place. Do you think he's okay, Dad?" I worried, although me an Quil had already jumped to a conclusion.

"It's nothing you need to worry about now, Jacob. In a few years, if you don't . . . well, I'll explain it later."

"What? You know what's wrong with _my_ friend? And you aren't bothering to tell me at all? Dad, what's going on?!" I fumed.

"In good time, my son. It's late now though, head of to bed."

I stormed out of the room, and sat on my bed, thinking about what he said. Nothing i need to worry about _now?_ In a few _years?_ If I don't what? Maybe Sam's gang is more than we thought. I drifted to sleep on that thought.

The next morning, I talked to Quil about what my father said, and he agreed with me.

"Look, Jake, I saw Embry yesterday after school, he came into the store. But he was with Sam, Jared, and Paul. I think maybe Sam got to him, but what would hold him?"

"I don't know Quil," We were in English now."But I don't want to be next, or you. We have to stick together. Agreed?"

"Yeah, of course Jacob, how are things with Bella?" Quil hushed his tone to whisper because class had begun.

"Alright, she doesn't like me that way, but I think she just needs time. Time, and me."

"Quil?" the teacher called on Quil for the answer.

"Um, a pronoun?"

Class continued slowly with no more talk of either subject, but then at lunch, Embry came up to us.

"Oh hi _Embry._ What do _you_ want.?" I sneered.

"Look, Jacob, I'm not talking to you to give you a mind game. We can't hang out anymore. I hope you don't get the same future as I do, but it's possible, so, stay calm. Both of you, okay?"

"Yeah, sure whatever, look we gotta go to math."

The rest of the day we pondered what Embry had said, and I went to help Quil in the store, even though it was empty. Before we closed up, Quil startled me with a new suspicion.

"J, what if it's more than a gang, more than 'protecters'? what if it's worse than we thought?"

"I don't know Quil, but I'm going to follow what Embry said."

"What?! You'll end up liek him, are you nuts?"

"No, think about it he said 'I hope you _don't _get the same future as me, but its _possible_, so, stay calm.'"

"So, what does that matter?"

"Think Quil! Embry was all angry a couple weeks ago, on that last Friday. And then, just like that he's gone for a week, then he is with Sam when he get's back. Coincidence? I think not."

"Yeah, you know what? You're right, well, we can try staying calm, and putting off whatever it is, but look I have to go, see you tomorrow at school."

I walked home after that, and headed to bed. School was uneventful the next day, but after school there was a thunderous roar outside the building. Quil and I ran up to Bella's truck as she unrolled the stiff window.

"Hey, Jake, I thought you might want a ride to my house for homework. Hey Quil. Do you want a ride?"

"Err, sure."

"Let's go!" Jake laughed as Quil got in the middle of me and Bella.

Bella rove down the road, and stopped out in front of the store where Quil got out. As soon as we called our goodbyes, and the window was rolled up, we started talking.

"So, how was work yesterday?" I inquired, listing small town businesses in Forks, deciding which one she worked at.

"Well, it was pretty uneventful, someone came in, bought hiking boots, but that was it." Bella added. So she worked at Newton's. "And, Mike asked if I wanted to go to a movie this Friday, but I said no."

Mike Newton, I had heard he was the genetically popular guy at Forks high. She turned him down? Interesting, for me at least.

We arrive at her house then an she headed towards the kitchen to start making supper.

"How does lasagne sound for supper?" Bella teased, she was already cooking the meat.

"Delicious."

While it cooked, we started on the homework portion of the evening. I knew Billy had been 'gossiping' behind the scenes with Charlie, because he was unsurprised to see me here.

"hey kids." Charlie said as he headed toward the hot lasagne in the kitchen.

I stayed for dinner, and took some home for Billy, while I grudgingly added one more year to Bella's age for being a good cook.

Friday I was working in the garage and then, after Bella's shift at Newton's was homework again. Charlie left us alone to go fishing, no doubt with Harry. When he got back, we had finished, so we watched _Monster Garage _on the Discovery Channel.

"I probably ought to go." I sighed "It's later than i thought."

"Okay, fine," Bella grumbled. "I'll take you home."

I laughed at her unwilling expression, because it pleased me. As soon as we got in the truck, Bella said, "Tomorrow, back to work then. What time do you want we up?"

I was so excited by my response. "I'll call you first, okay?"

"Sure." She frowned, wondering what was up.

My smile widened at that.

When I got home, I ran out to the garage, and I worked as fast as I could on my bike, so it would be ready to

I called Bella's house at around 10.

"Hello?" a breathless Bella answered.

"Bella," My tone was strangely formal.

"Hey Jake."

"I believe that . . . we have a _date_."

It took her a few seconds to understand.

"They're done? I can't believe it!"

"Yeah, they run and everything."

"Jacob, you are absolutely, without a doubt, the most talented person I know. You get ten years for this one!"

"Cool! I'm middle-aged now."

Bella laughed."I'm on my way up!"

I ran out to the garage after hanging up with a package of blue ribbon. I tied a piece of ribbon to each bike, and wheeled them out under a spruce, clear of the house, and waited inside the house. Shortly after that, Bella drove up beside the spruce. I ran out, and she was laughing at their wrapping.

I lowered my voice for a dramatic effect. "Ready?"

She tried to glance over my shoulder, but there was no sign of Billy.

"Yeah." She didn't sound as enthused as before, probably nervous.

I laid them easily in the bed of her truck so they didn't show.

"Let's go," I said, my voice was higher than usual because of excitement. "I know the perfect spot- no one will catch us there.

As we drove south out of town we came along a dirt road that would lead past the cliffs. I was explaining the bikes mechanics to her but she wasn't listening well, due to my use of tehnical terms. She was also driving slowly to look out on the water.

Sam's gang was on the cliff. And it was a gang of four, not three. Embry was one of them, so i ignored it and continued. Bella slowed down as Sam neared the precipice of the cliff.

"No!" Bella stomped on the break as Sam flung off the cliff.

"What's wrong?" I was alarmed, but then rememebered she doesn't do Cliff Diving.

"That guy-he just _jumped _off the_ cliff! _Why didn't they stop him? We've got to call an ambulance."

Bellas statement, and her actions confused me, because as she said this she got out of the truck. The nearest phone was back down at my house. I laughed at her reactions and she spun around at me. I probably was coming off as cold-blooded.

"They're just cliff diving, Bella. Recreation. La Push doesn't have a mall, you know." I was teasing her, but i was irritated, as Embry jumped next.

"Cliff diving?" Bella repeated, dazed. "Wow. It's so high. It must be a hundred feet."

"Well, yeah, most of us jump from lower down, that rock juts out from the cliff about halfway." I pointed out the window to the lower cliff. "_those_ guys are insane. Probably showing off how tough they are. I mean, really, it's freezing today. The water can't feel good." I looked a little upset.

"_You _jump off the cliff?" She didn't miss the 'us'.

"Sure, sure." I shrugged and smiled "its fun. A little scary, kind of a rush."

She looked back at the cliffs as Jared paced the edge. Her eyes widened.

"Jacob you have to take me cliff diving."

"Bella, you just wanted me to call an ambulance for Sam," I reminded her.

"I want to try," She insisted. She started to get out of the truck again. I grabbed her wrist

"Not today alright? Can we at least wait for a warmer day?"

"Okay, fine. But I want to go soon." Bella pouted

I rolled my eyes. "Soon. Sometimes you're a little strange, you know that Bella?"

"Yes." She sighed.

"And we're not jumping off the top."

"Fine. Not the first time anyway."

It was my turn to sigh. To distract her, I asked about the plan.

"So are we going to try the bikes or not?"

"Okay, okay." Bella said as she closed the door and fastened her seatbelt.

"So who were those guys-the crazy ones?"

I made a sound in the back of my throut in disgust.

"The La Push gang."

"You have a gang?" Bella seemed impressed?

I laughed once at her reaction. "Not like that. I swear, their like hall monitors gone bad. They don't start fights, they keep the peace." I snorted. "There was this guy somewhere up by the Makah rez, bug guy too, scary looking. Well wod got around that he was selling meth to kids, and Sam Uley and his _disciples_ ran him off our land. They're all about _our land_, and _tribe pride_ . . . it's getting ridiculous. The worst part is that the council takes them seriously. Embry said that the council actually meets with Sam" My face was full of resentment as i shook my head. "Embry also heard from Leah Clearwater that they call themselves 'protectors' or something like that."

I had my hand clenched into fists, and I felt like hitting something. I didn't like to be like this around Bella.

"you don't like them very much?"

"does it show?" i asked sarcastically.

Well . . . It doesn't sound like they're doing anything bad." She tried to soothe me. "Just sort of annoyingly goody-two-shoes for a gang."

"Yeah. Annoying is a good word. They're always showing off, life the cliff thing. They act like . . . like, I don't know. Like tough guys. I was hanging out at the store with Quil and Embry once, last semester, and Sam came by with his _followers, _Jared and Paul. Quil said something, you know he's got a big mouth, and it made paul really mad. His eyes got all dark, and he sort of smiled-no, he showed his teeth but he didn't smile-and it was like he was s o mad he was shaking or something. But Sam put his hand on Paul's chest and shook his head. Paul looked at him for a minute and calmed down. Honestly, it was like Sam was holding him back-like Paul was going to tear us up if sam didn't stop him."I groaned. "Like a bad western. You know, Sam's a pretty big guy, he's twenty. But Paul's just sixteen, to, shorter than me and not as beefy as Quil. I think any one of us could take him."

"Tough guys," Bella agreed. "Isn't Sam a little too old for this kind of thing?"

" was supposed to go to ollege, but he stayed. And no one gave him any rap about it, either. The whole council pitched a fight when my sister turned down a partial scholarship and got married. But oh, no Sam Uley can do no wrong."

My face set into the lines of rage. I remembered what me and Quil agreed to and calmed down.

"It all sounds really annoying and . . . strange. But I don't get why you're taking it so personally." She looked over at me but I was staring out the window trying to relax.

"You missed the turn."

She made huge U-turn nearly hitting a tree.

"Thanks for the heads-up." Bells muttered.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." We kept quiet for a brief moment. "You can stop anywhere along here." I added softly.

She puled over and cut the engine. We both got out and I headed towards the bed to get the motorcycles. She tried to read my expression. She sensed it was something more, that she had hit a nerve. I smiled halfheartedly and pushed the red bike to bella's side.

"Happy late birthday. Are you ready for this?"

"I think so." She looked intimidated

"We'll take it slow." She leaned the bike against her bikes fender. I pulled mine out of the bed.

"Jake . . ." She hesitated, as I came back around to face her.

"Yeah?"

"What's really bothering you? About the Sam thin, I mean? Is there something else?"

I grimaced, wishing i could control my facial emotions.I started my nervous habit of kicking, or tapping things to a beat in my head.

I sighed. "It's just . . . the way they treat me. It creeps me out." I started rushing now. "You know, the council is supposed to be made up of equals, but if there was a leader, it would be my dad. I've never been able to figure out why people treat him the way they do. Why his opinion counts the most. It's got something to do with his father and his father's father. My great-grandpa, Ephraim Black, was sort of the last cheif we had, and they still listen to billy, maybe because of that.

"But I'm just like everyone else. Nobody treats _me_ special . . . until now."

I caught her off gaurd. "Sam treats you special?

"Yeah," I agreed. I looked at her with troubled eyes. "He looks at me like he keeps waiting for something . . . like I'm going to join his stupid gang someday. He pays more attention to me than any of the other guys. I hate it."

"You don't have to join anything." Isabella was upset, maybe because this upset me? Maybe i was making unknown progress.

"Yeah." I kept the rhythm with my foot on the tire of my bike.

"What?" I really need face composure!

I frowned, I probably looked sad and worried, but I was confused and worried.

"It's Embry. He's been avoiding me lately." She didn't get the connection.

"You've been spending time with me a lot," She reminded me.

"No, it's not it. It's not just me-it's Quil too, and everyone. Embry missed a week of school, but he was never home when we tried to see him. And when he came back, he looked . . . he looked freaked out. Terrified. Quil and I both tried to get him to tell us what was wrong, but he wouldn't talk to either one of us."

Bella started to bite her lip anxiously. The tempo with me foot increased.

"Then this week, out of nowhere, Embry's hanging out with Sam and the rest of them. He was out on the cliffs today." My voice was low and tense. I looked down at her.

"Bella, they bugged him even more than they bother me. He didn't want anything to do with them. And now Embry's following Sam around like he's joined a cult.

"And that's the way it was with Paul. Just exactly the same. He wasn't friends with Sam at all. Then he stopped oming to school for a few weeks, and, when he came back, suddenly Sam owned him. I don't know what it means. I can't figure it out, and I feel like I have to, because Embry's my friend and . . . Sam's loking at me funny . . . and . . ." I trailed off.

"Have you talked to Billy about this?" I was sharing my horror with her. I needed to calm down.

Now I was angry again, as I remembered what he said. "Yes." I snorted. "That was helpful."

"What did he say?"

My tone mocked my fathers, but had a hint of sarcasm in it. "It's nothing you need to worry about now, Jacob. In a few years if you don't . . . Well, I'll explain it later." I used my own voice "What am I supposed to get from that? Is he trying to say its some stupid puberty, coming-of-age thing? This is something else. Something wrong." I was biting my lips and clenching my hands trying to stay calm, but for Bella's reaction I must have looked sad.

She threw her arms around my body, and she looked like a child for a second.

"Oh Jake, it'll be okay!" she promised. "If it gets worse you can come and live with me and Charlie. Don't be scared, we'll think of something!"

I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. It felt nice, right.

My voice was huskier than usual "Thanks, Bella."

We stood like that for a moment. Then i laughed, lightening the mood. "if this is how you're going to react, I'll freak out more often."

"It's hard to believe I'm two years _older_ than you," she emphasized 'older'. "you make me feel like a dwarf." She had to crane her neck to see m face.

"you're forgetting I'm in my forties of course."

"Oh, that's right."

I patted her head. "you're like a little doll." I teased. "A porcelain doll."

She rolled her eyes. "Let's not start with the Albino cracks."

"seriously Bella, are you sure you're not?" I put my arm next to hers. "I've never seen anyone paler than you . . . well, except for-" I broke off, and she looked away. I couldn't finish. Not if it meant hurting my bella."So are we going to ride or what?"

"Let's do it." She agreed, as if I reminded her of why she was here.

Strange.

**CHAPTER 8 Hikes**

"Okay where's your clutch?"

Bella pointed to the lever on her left handle bar. The bike wobbled beneath her, threatening to knock her over. She grabbed the handle just in time.

"Jacob, it won't stay up." She complained.

"It will when you're moving."I promised, though skeptial. "Now where's your brake?"

"Behind my right foot."

"Wrong." I grabbed her right hand and curled her fingers around the lever over the throttle.

"But you said-"

"This is the brake you want. Don't use the back brake now, that's for later, when you know what you're doing."

"That doesn't sound right." Suspiscious."Aren't both brakes sort of important?"

Forget the back brake, okay? Here-" I squeezed her fragile hand around teh hand brake. "_that_ is how you brake. Don't forget." I squeezed her hand another time.

"Fine." Bella agreed

"Throttle?"

Bells, twisted the right grip.

"Gearshift?"

She nudged her left calf.

"Very good. I think you'e got all the parts down. Now you just have to get moving."

Uh-huh." She muttered.

"I want you to hold down the clutch," I instructed.

She did as I told her.

"Now this is crucial Bella," I stressed. "Don't let go of that, okay? I want you to pretend that I've handed you a lie grenade. The pin is out and yu are holding down the spon."

She squeezed tighter.

"Good. Do you think you can kick-start it?"

"If I move my foot, I will fall over," She told me through gritted teeth, he fingers tight around her grenade.

"Okay I'll do it. Don't let go of the clutch."

I took a step bak, and then slammed my foot on the pedal. There was a short ripping noise, I rocked the bike, and she started to fall, but I caught her before she hit the ground. I didn't promise a perfect start.

'steady there," I encouraged." Do you still have the clutch?"

"Yes." She gasped.

"Plant your feet-I'm going to try again." I put my hand on the back of her seat, too, just in case.

It took me four more kicks before the ignition caught.

"Try out the throttle," I suggested. "Very lightly. And don't let go of the clutch."

She did this hesitantly, and I smiled in satisfaction when it snarled beneath her.

"Do you remember how to put it in first gear?" I asked

"Yes."

"Well, go ahead and do it."

"Okay."

I waited while she sat there.

"Left foot," I prompted.

"I _know_," She said, taking a deep breath.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked again. "You look scared."

"I'm fine." She snapped, while she kicked the gearshift down one notch.

I praised her. "Very good, Now _very_ gently, ease up on the clutch."

I stepped back.

"You want me to let go of the grenade?" She asked in disbelief.

"That's how you move Bella. Just do it little by little."

She eased up slowly, but suddenly, with an, "Oh!" She let her hand fall off the cluth. The engine stalled, and the bike fell half on top of her.

"Bella?" I jerked off the heavy bike in a rush. "Are you hurt?"

She didn't seem to have heard me.

"Bella?" i shook her shoulder a little.

"I'm fine." She mumbled, dazed.

"Did you hit you head?" I asked as I pulled her to her feet.

"I don't think so." She shook her head back and forth, checking. "I didn't hurt the bike did I?"

"No, you just stalled the engine," I interrupted her speculations of the bike. "You let the clutch go too fast."

She nodded. "Let's try again."

"Are you sure?" She didn't seem in the right state of mind.

"Positive."

This time she tried to kick-start the bike herself. It took her many tries, some good, some bad. I kept my hands hovering around her handlebars if she needed me.

She tried out her throttle, and her smile mirrored mine, I'm sure.

"Easy on the clutch." I reminded her, but she didn't react, she only smile tightly-for whatever reason- I couldn't see why.

"Ease off slowly." I said, a bit louder now.

"I will," she seemed bothered. Maybe I should let her make her own pace.

She was doing it great, when the gear caught, and she went flying. Dang I forgot to tell her how to turn, and of course. Her reaction would be her right foot to brake, like in her truck. Perfect. I thought sarcastically. As soon as I saw she couldn't turn, I jumped on my bike and flew down the road after her, I had made my kick-start faster, for a time like this.

"Bella!" I yelled oer my engine as I cut it off.

I pulled the motorbike off her, and she rolled over to breathe.

"Wow." she said it out loud just as I caught sight of her forehead.

There was a deep pulsing red gash on her forehead. It was smeared with sirt, and it was getting everything speckled with red.

"Bella! Bella, are you alive?" I crouched over her anxiously.

"I'm great!" she enthused she flexed her arms and legs, obviously not smelling the blood. I knew her well enough that just the smell would set her off.

"I don't think so. I think I'd better drive you to the hospital first."

"I'm fine." She probably could only smell earth, and grass, as it was smeared all over her face.

"Um, Bella? You've got a huge cut on your forehead, and it's gushing blood." Cut was an understatement.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jacob." She pressed harder, as if to stop the bleeding.

"Why are you apologizing for bleeding?" I pulled her up to her feet. "Let's go, I'll drive."

"What about the bikes?" Bella asked, handing them over. I thought for a second

"Wait here. And take this." I pulled off my black T-shirt and handed to her. I kick started my bike, and flew back down to her truck. I leaned over the handlebars, wishing I could make myself go faster. I threw my bike in the back of the truck once I reached the bed. I coaxed her truck down the road as fast as I could, and threw her bike in the back.

"Okay, let's get you in the truck."

"I'm honestly fine," she assured me. I knew head wounds bled more, but I couldn't help my worrying. "Don't get worked up. It's just a little bit of blood."

"Just a _lot_ of blood." I muttered.

"Now, let's think about this for a second," She began when I got in."If you take me to the ER like this, Charlie is sure to hear about it." She looked down at her knees.

"Bella, you need stitches. I'm not going to let you bleed to death." I knew i was overreacting.

"I won't, Let's just take these bikes back to your house so I can dispose of teh evidence before we go to the hospital."

"What about Charlie?"

"He said he had to work today."

"Are you really sure?"

"Trust me. I'm an easy bleeder. It's not nearly as dire as it looks."

I was frowning, I didn't want her in trouble. I drove her into forks.

"You still okay?" I checked when she flinched.

"Yeah." She tried to be convincing.

"By the way," I added. "I'm going to disconnect your foot brake tonight."

We got to her house and I sat in the kitchen. She was taking forever.

"Hurry up," I called up after a while.

"Okay, okay," She shouted ran down the stairs. "How do I look?"

"Better." Much better, I added mentally.

"But do I look like I tripped in your garage and hit my head on a hammer?"

"Sure I guess so."

"Let's go then."

I hurried her out the door, and insisted on driving again. We were halfway to the hospital when she notices I was shirtless.

"We should have grabbed you a jacket."

"That would have given us away." I teased. "Besides, it's not cold."

"Are you kidding?" She shivered and reached out to turn her trucks heat on.

She watched me, to probably see if I was playing tough. Really, though, I was really warm. Maybe my body temperature went at a different thermometer. She was huddling up to keep warm, while I had my arm draped across the back of the seat. Bella started to stare at my face, and chest, and I felt self-concious all of the sudden.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just hadn't realized before. Did you know you're sort of beautiful?"

She worried I would take them the wrong way. I laughed it off, knowing she couldn't mean them yet. I knew what she meant. I rolled my eyes. "You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?"

"I'm serious." As she can be at the moment.

"Well, then, thanks. Sort of."

"You're sort of welcome."

I knew she was beginning to like me, not in the same way, but she was realizing what my company was doing to her. I was thinking about this as Dr. Snow put seven stitches into Bella's forehead. We were at the hospital a long time. By the time we were walking out the door, Bella had to take me home.

When I got home I sat in front of the TV with Billy. I wasn't watching it. I was thinking. I wanted to talk to Embry, see why he was with Sam. I wanted to tell Bella how I really felt. I wanted to be able to go tell Quil everything, but it was too late. So many wants, with no way to get them answered now. I went to bed early, and put on my walkman. I was listening to my favourite song when I heard a tap on the door.

"May I come in?" Billy sounded urgent.

"Sure, sure, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing, Quil's just on the phone in the kitchen."

Perfect way to end the day. The phone had a long cord, so I could go where Billy wouldn't hear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, J, I found out something about Embry. Would you like me to start, or do you want to say anything before we start this up?"

"Well, nothing really, Bella flew off a motorcycle, into a tree. Deep gash to her forehead too, needed seven stitches."

"Oh my gosh is she okay?!"

"Yes, Quils, now what's your important news?"

"Well, so Embry comes into the store, right? And He's all like, 'I wish I could tell you everything. I wish I could tell you what happened. I'm not allowed and it sucks. I saw Jake with Bella today, out by the cliffs, we were cliff diving. I think Jake is next, but we can't be sure, just warn him, okay? We don't want him to hurt our Bella.'"

"Okay, did he say, or did he not say, he wasn't playing mind games? He won't give us one clue? That's just ridiculous."

"I know, maybe you should warn Bella. Tell her what's going on."

"I have. I don't want to say goodbye to her. That would kill her. So I'm only saying what's up with Embry."

"Okay, sounds like it's under control on your part Jacob. Hey, how's the whole 'calm' thing coming along for you?"

"Well, talking about Embry set off a nerve but I handled it. Look, I gotta go now. Sorry Q. I'll call you tomorrow if I don't see you alright?"

"Yeah, it is late. Sorry for calling so late. I just wanted you to know. Bye Jake."

I fell right to sleep that night, a deep, dreamless sleep; the first in a while.

"Charlie's getting nosy," Bella complained on the road to Forks after school Friday.

"Maybe we should cool it with the bikes." I say she was going to object so i added, "At least for a week, or two. You can stay out of the hospital fo a week, right?"

"What are we going to do?" Bella griped.

"Anything you want to do." I'm always up for something including Bella.

After awhile I broke her reverie.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Well . . . ," Bella bagan slowly. "I found this place in the forest once-I came across it when I was, um, hiking. A little meadow, the most beautiful place I ever saw. I don't know if I could track it down again on my own. It would definitely take a few tries. . . ."

"We could use a compass and a grid pattern," I said, confident in helping her."D you know where you started from?"

"Yes, just below the trailhead where the one-ten ends. I was going mostly south, i think."

"Cool. We'll find it." As always, I was always game for whatever Bella wanted.

So, Saturday afternoon came around, and Bella appeared wearing new hiking boots. She would pay for those later, since they weren't broken in. I didn't start immediately though. I had to take out a map, and drew a web around the key section of the map she described. I felt bad taking up the whole living room, being sprawled out as I was. It's not my fault I have a tiny house. Billy wasn't concerned by the hiking trip. Because he knew there wasn't a bear; or maybe he thought it was something else.

"Maybe we will see the super bear." I joked as I finished up the details of the design I had been working on.

Bella glanced at Billy swiftly, probably worrying over his reaction. But she needn't worry. Dad just laughed.

"Maybe you should take a pot of honey, just in case."

I chuckled alond with my father. "Hope your new boots are fast, Bella. One little jar of honey isn' going to keep a hungry bear occupied for long."

"I only have to be faster than you!"

"Ha! Good luck with that!" I rolled my eyes as I refolded the ap. "Let's o."

"Have fun." Dad, wheeled himself to the refridgerator.

She drove down to where she explained. She got out and walked to the dense, green wall.

"I went this way." Bella murmured, pointing straight ahead.

"Hmmm," I muttered. She hadn't gone hiking. I knew that. Bella wouldn't leave the trail.

"What?"

I looked between her starting point, and the trail marker.

"I would have figured you for a trail kind of girl."

"Not me." She smiled bleakly. "I'm a rebel."

I laughed while i pulled out the map.

"Give me a second." I held the compass in a skilled way, twisting the map to the way I wanted."Okay-first line on the grid. Let's do it."

Bella, thought she was slowing me up, and she was. I didn't care though. Being with Bella was a treat enough. I started to whistle a cheerful tune. It wasn't a tune i heard somewhere. It was the tune that made me think of Bella. I would regularly check the compass to make sure we were keeping straight. Bella broke the silence first.

"Hey. . . Jake?" she seemed hesitant to bring up her thought of a subject.

"Yeah?"

"How are things. . . With Embry? Is he back to normal yet?"

I was silent, and leapt forward about ten long paces. I then stopped to wait for her, I only did this to control my anger.

"No. He's not back to normal." She regretted bringing it up when the corners of my mouth pulled down.

"Still with Sam." And it wasn't a question.

"Yup."

I knew she wanted to shake it off, but I put my arm on her shoulder, because knowing she was here, helped me to control the anger I felt coming.

"Are they still looking at you funny?" Bella half-whispered.

I stared ahead. "Sometimes."

"And Billy?"

"As helpful as ever." I was being sour about it, in my attitude.

"Our couch is always open." She offered.

I broke the gloomy mood, with my care-free laughter.

"But think of the position that would put Charlie in-When Billy calls the police to report my kidnapping." Bella laughed too, glad to have 'me' back.

We had gone six miles when I decided we should head back. We cut west for a short time, and headed back on a different line.

"As long as you're sure we're starting from the right place. . ." I glanced down at her, and I had a sudden idea about why she wanted to find this.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Then we'll find it." I pomised her, grabbing her hadn and pulled her through the last of some ferns, out to her truck. "Trust me."

"You're good." She admitted. "But next time we bring flashlights."

"We'll save hiking for Sundays from now on. I didn't know you were that slow."

She yanked her hand back and stomped to the driver's side. I chuckled to her reaction.

"So you up for another try tomorrow?" I asked, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Sure. Unless you want to go without me so i don't tie you down to my gimpy pace."

"I'll survive." I assured her. "If we're hiking again, though, you might want to pick up some moleskin. I bet you can feel those new boots right now."

"A little," she confessed.

"I hope we see the bear tomorrow. I'm sort of disappointed about that."

"Yeah. Me too." Bella agreed sarcastically. "Maybe we'll get lucky tomorrow and something will eat us!"

"Bears don't eat people. We don't taste good." I grinned."Of course, you _might_ be an exception. I bet you'd taste good."

"Thanks so much." She said looking away. And I regretted instantly saying it. Realizing she might have heard that before.

**CHAPTER 9 Love Triangle.**

When Bella dropped me off at my house, I walked up to the store to talk to Quil. I knew she wouldn't know the date, but, I can't forget about it either, regardless.

"Now, Jake, my pal, I haven't seen you in ages, it seems so, doesn't it?" Quil laughed.

"Oh, I'm fine, came into the store to talk game plan with you." I chuckled. "Also to buy a few items in your fine store."

"Well, you're a few minutes too late on the whole game plan part. Embry was in here with 'the gang'."

"Anything good happen?"

"Sam comes up to the counter and says 'Have you seen Jacob at all recently?' and he was all worried over you again. So i said 'Yeah, he's been with Bella alot.' And Same goes 'Not good. Well, thank you Quil. We will talk in the future. But I don't want to count on it.' What did I do? Am I horrible?"

I had my mouth open. It was moments before I could even compose my face, let alone talk.

"Well, I think it's all connected, in someway. I mean Embry doesn't want us mad, Sam doesn't like my being around Bella alot? And not wanting to talk anytime soon?"

"I think you're right. But I don't know how."

I was browsing the Isles, looking, while i thought.

"what are you looking for, Jacob?"

"Conversation hearts, you have any?"

"Ooouuu, Yepp, isle 4.

"It's still not that way yet, Quil. She doesn't know it herself yet. She's changed though. She probably won't realize the date until she shows up on Friday."

"He messed her up bad, didn't he?"

"Beyond belief, how much is the candy?"

"The candy is $1.10. She's making progress, so don't give up hope just yet."

"Here, thanks for the info on Sam. I'll talk to you later. Bye Quil!"

I walked home slowly, to digest what Quil said about the gang. There had to be a piece of information we were missing. I thought about this all night, and most of the next morning during school. I couldn't make it work. I felt like I might explode if I didn't get this right. Why wouldn't it work? I shook the thoughts off while I waited for Bella to come 'round the corner.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I greeted her, once she was out of her truck. I held out her small pink box of candy.

"Well, I feel like a schmuck," She mumbled. "Is today Valentine's Day?"

I shook my head with mock sadness. "You can be so out of it sometimes. Yes, it is the fourteenth day of February. So are you going to be my Valentine? Since you didn't get me a fifty-cent box of candy, it's the least you cand od."

She looked uncomfortable. I meant my words to be teasing but, they were only so on the surface, and she sensed that.

"What exactly does that entail?" Bella Hedged.

"The usual-slave for life, that kind of thing."

"Oh, well, if that's all. . . "She took the candies.

"So what are we doing tomorrow? Hiking, or the ER?"

"Hiking," Bella confirmed. "You're not the only one who can be obsessive. I'm starting to think I imagined that place. . ." She frowned.

"We'll find it." I assured her."Bikes, Friday?" I offered.

"I'm going to a movie Friday. I've been promising my cafeteria crowd that I would go out forever."

My face fell. She was becoming better. But I hadn't accounted for her friends. She must have saw my eyes before I dropped them to the ground because she added, "You'll come, too, right? Or will it be too much of a drag with a bunch of seniors?"

"You'd like me to come, with your friends there?"

"Yes, I'll have a lot more fun if you're there. Bring Quil, and we'll make it a party."

"Quil's gonna freak. Senior girls." I chortled, while rolling my eyes. She didn't mention Embry, and neither did I. She laughed with me.

"I'll try to get him a good selection."

I talked the idea over with Quil the next morning. He was excited to get off the rez for a while.

"Awesome, dude! I so can't wait. What movie are we watching again?"

"I don't know for sure. But Bella's choosing it, so it won't be a romance; there will probably not an ounce of romance in a millisecond. I'm sure you can understand why."

"Yeah, I understand, I am so psyched!"

"She said she would try to get you a good selection." I laughed.

"Okay, well, I will see you Friday, then."

"Hey, and Quil?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"Stay out of trouble. 'kay?"

"Alright, Jacob."

I drove to Bella's after school that Friday in the Rabbit. I had just finished last night, this, was the maiden voyage. She got home, shortly after I stopped the engine. I was hoping that some people wouldn't have to go, maybe enough that we would only need my car. I really wanted to drive out to Port Angeles.

"No way!" Bella shouted as she jumped out of her truck. "Your done, I can't believe it! You finished the Rabbit!"

I beamed at her excitement. "Just last night. This is the maiden voyage."

"Incredible." She held her hand up (Way up!) for a high five. I smacked her hand against hers, but I left it there, twisting my fingers through hers.

"So do I get to drive tonight?"

"Definitely." Then she sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm giving up-I can't top this one. So you win. You're oldest."

I shrugged at her surrender, unsurprised. "Of course I am."

One of Bella's friends came around the corner in their Suburban, I guessed. I figured it was because she dropped her hand at once, and I saw the guy make a look not meant for Bella to see. Of course, though, Bella notices a lot.

"I remember this guy," I said low, as I remembered that day on the beach. Then something else clicked together, that I would have to tell Quil. "The one who thought you were his girlfriend. Is he still confused?"

Bella raised one eyebrow and replied, "Some people are hard to discourage."

"Then again," I said, thoughtfully as I remembered the faint signals, I had shaken off. "Sometimes persistence pays off."

"Most of the time it's just annoying, though."

As the guy crossed the road, he called "Hey, Bella,"

He looked up with wary eyes, at my height.

"Hey, Mike! Do you remember Jacob Black?"

"Not really." Mike, I assumed, held out his hand.

"Old family friend," I introduced myself. Okay, so maybe my grip was a little bit harder than necessary. We held our hands there longer, just so he could get my point. He flexed his hand when we broke it off.

Bella heard the phone, or maybe as getting away from an awkward situation.

"I'd better go get that-it might be Charlie," She called as she ran toward the house.

"So, Bella hangs out down there in La Push a lot?" Mike asked, as he edged away from me.

"Yeah, Everyday, after school and stuff-when she's doesn't work, of course."

I could see how he _might_ be popular. But he was obviously a Newton. I edged away from him, because he was seemingly nervous about my build.

Bella walked slowly back to us, and noticed our 'un-progressed friendship stance'.

"Ang is sick," Bella announced glumly. "She and Ben aren't coming."

"I guess the flu is making another round. Austin and Connor were out today, too. Maybe we should do this another time," Mike suggested.

"I'm still up for it. But if you'd rather stay behind, Mike-"

"No, I'm coming," Mike interrupted."I was just thinking of Angela and Ben. Let's go." He started toward his Suburban.

"Hey, do you mind if Jacob drives?" Bella asked quickly "I told him he could-he just finished his car. He built it from scratch, all by himself."

"Fine." Mike snapped. Why was he being so strange?

"All right, then." I said, as if to settle everything. I was probably more comfortable than Mike. I knew Bella was very uncomfortable with the outlooks.

Mike had a disgusted expression on his face, as he climbed in the back alone. The front seat was reserved for Bella. I was my normal slef, as I drove out to Port Angeles. I chattered to Bella, sometimes asking Mike questions, but not very many.

Mike then decided he would change strategy, for whatever reason. He rested his chin on Bella's seat, but she didn't like that. She leaned away from him, with her back to the window.

"Doesn't the radio work in this thing?" Mike interrupted me, staring at me like I had forgotten to put a back seat in.

"Yes," I answered. "But Bella doesn't like music." She never told me that, and she gave me a look confirming that. I figured it out by how much she needed to get that stereo out of her truck.

"Bella?" Mike asked her, annoyed.

"He's right," She mumbled.

"How can you not like music?" He demanded.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. It irritates me."

"Hmph." Mike leaned back again.

When we got to the theatre I handed Bella a ten-dollar bill, because I was technically too young to see the film. I certainly didn't look my age that was for sure.

"What's this?" She objected.

"I'm not old enough to get into this one," I reminded her, although, the film wouldn't be that bad.

She laughed out loud once. "So much for relative ages. Is Billy going to kill me if I sneak you in?"

"No, I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence."

Bella snickered, and Mike quickened his pace to keep up.

Mike was still being the sulky child he was being in the car. He was so immature! Probably it wasn't her cafeteria crowd she had promised, it was probably Mike. She just wouldn't have had to hurt his feelings too. But maybe she just didn't want to have to go alone with him.

The movie was exactly what Bella would have wanted. The exact opposite of a romance, of any kind! It was unrealistic, but lived up to its title, _Crosshairs_.

I found it funny, how they made the graphics. I was sniggering at the screen when Bella heard me.

"What?" she whispered at me.

"Oh, c'mon! The blood squirted out twenty feet in front of that guy! How fake can you get?"

She started to really watch after that, and laughed with me while everyone around us screamed in horror. I chuckled as a flagpole speared one guy. Mike had copied me when I had put my hand out on the armrest in a position so Bella could lay her hand on mine. But, of course, she wasn't ready for that.

Mike gave up first to put his face in his hands.

"Mike are you okay?" Bella whispered.

This couple in front of us turned around wary as he groaned again.

"No," he gasped, "I think I'm sick." What a wimp.

He groaned again as he got up and bolted towards the doors. Bella got up to go after him, so I got up, knowing she would want someone to check on him in that washroom.

"No, stay," She whispered. "I'll make sure he's okay."

I came anyways, just because she sure picked out a 'great' movie.

"You don't have to come. Get your eight bucks worth of carnage," She whispered as we walked up the aisle and out the door.

"That's okay. You sure can pick them, Bella. This movie really sucks."

There wasn't any sign of a Mike Newton in any hallway, so I ducked into the washroom. Bella had to be glad I was here now.

"Hey, Mike, it's Jacob; are you alright?" he groaned and heaved into the toilet. I felt bad for whomever had to clean washrooms at night.

"No, sorry to wreck the movie, tell Bella I'm alright, though. I'll be out-" Another heave. "Soon. Ugh."

"Alright, sure," I left after that.

"Oh, he's in there, all right," I rolled my eyes. "Soft as a marshmallow; you should hold out for someone with a stronger stomach. Someone who laughs at the gore that makes weaker men vomit."

"I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that."

We were alone in the deserted hallway-not a soul. I went over to sit on a velveteen-upholstered bench, and patted the space beside me.

"He sounded like he was going to be in there for a while." I said as I settled in to wait by stretching my legs.

She sat down with a sigh. Once she sat down, I shifted so I could put my arm around her shoulders.

"Jake," Bella protested, shifting away from my arm. I dropped it, not affected by her minor rejection. I knew she wouldn't like it, but I had a point I wanted to talk to her about.

I pulled her wrist, so she would look at me.

"Now, just hold on a minute, Bella." I asked her in a calm voice. "Tell me something."

She grimaced. She didn't want to answer the question, because she was assuming what I was going to ask.

"What?" She muttered sourly. She can get into sour moods very fast.

"You like me, right?"

"You know I do."

"Better than that joker in there puking his guts out?"

"Yes." She sighed. I couldn't tell if it was in relief to the questions I had decided to ask, or if it was on exasperation.

"Better than any of the guys you know?" I already knew her answer so I was calm, and serene.

"Better than the girls I know, too." She pointed out.

"But that's all." It wasn't a question. I didn't mean for it to be a question, either. She seemed to have difficulty saying one word. She was probably wondering if it was hurting me.

"Yes," she whispered.

I smiled down warmly at her. "That's okay, you know. As long as you like me the best. _And_ you think I'm good-looking-sort of. I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent."

"I'm not going to change." She tried to keep her voice normal, but I could hear the sadness in it, it was awful, how hard she held onto him.

I was no longer teasing her, as I thought I asked. "It's stil the other one, is't it?"

She cringed. I seemed to pick up on alot of things she silently tells me. She didn't tell me about the music, but I caught on. She didn't have to tell me that it was still that leech that kept her hurting. I knew that without hurting her further.

"You don't have to talk about it," I told her.

She nodded, grateful.

"But don't get mad at me for hanging around, okay?" I patter the back of her hand, "Because I'm not giving up. I've got loads of time."

She sighed. "You shouldn't waste it on me," she objected, but I could tell there was a reason she goes into a coma-like state for four months, and then is at my house every day. She needed me, just as I needed her.

"It's what I want to do, as long as you still like me to be with me."

"I can't imagine how I could _not_ like being with you," She said, and I could tell she wasn't lying.

"I can live with that." I beamed.

"Just don't expect more," she warned me, while trying to pull away her hand.

"This doesn't really bother, does it?" I asked her, because her hand was cold, it had to at least feel warm.

"No," she sighed.

"And you don't care what _he_ thinks." I shook my thumb towards the washroom Mr. Marshmallow was in.

"I guess not."

"So what's the problem?" I knew what she would say, so was trying to figure out what to say, to make it a joke.

"The problem, is that it means something different to me than it does to you."

"Well," I tightened my grip on her hand a little. "That's my problem isn't it?"

"Fine, Don't forget it though." She grumbled.

"I won't," I promised her. "The pin's out of the grenade for me, now, eh?" I poked her in the ribs.

She rolled her eyes while I quietly chuckled. I traced random shapes on her hand.

"That's a funny scar you got there," I turned her hand over to examine a cresent shape scar that was a few shades paler than the rest of her hand.

She scowled at me. "Do you honestly expect me to remember where I get all my scars?" she seemed to try to remember, or feel the emotion of the memory, so she obviously knew what it was from.

She didn't plan on telling me, I would have pressed on, too if Mike, ashen, and sweaty didn't burst in right then.

"Oh, Mike," Bella gasped at the sight of him.

"Do you mind leaving early?" he whispered.

"No, of course not," Bella jumped up to help him walk.

"Movie too much for you?" I asked, not caring for the answer, as we walked towards the exit.

Mike's malevolent glare was hilarious, but I kept my laughter inside. " I didn't actually see any of it," he mumbled. "I was nauseated before the lights went down."


	4. Chapter 4

Diclaimer. as much as I wish it was, twilights not mine. nor is it yours.

**CHAPTER 8 Hikes**

"Okay where's your clutch?"

Bella pointed to the lever on her left handle bar. The bike wobbled beneath her, threatening to knock her over. She grabbed the handle just in time.

"Jacob, it won't stay up." She complained.

"It will when you're moving."I promised, though skeptial. "Now where's your brake?"

"Behind my right foot."

"Wrong." I grabbed her right hand and curled her fingers around the lever over the throttle.

"But you said-"

"This is the brake you want. Don't use the back brake now, that's for later, when you know what you're doing."

"That doesn't sound right." Suspiscious."Aren't both brakes sort of important?"

Forget the back brake, okay? Here-" I squeezed her fragile hand around teh hand brake. "_that_ is how you brake. Don't forget." I squeezed her hand another time.

"Fine." Bella agreed

"Throttle?"

Bells, twisted the right grip.

"Gearshift?"

She nudged her left calf.

"Very good. I think you'e got all the parts down. Now you just have to get moving."

Uh-huh." She muttered.

"I want you to hold down the clutch," I instructed.

She did as I told her.

"Now this is crucial Bella," I stressed. "Don't let go of that, okay? I want you to pretend that I've handed you a lie grenade. The pin is out and yu are holding down the spon."

She squeezed tighter.

"Good. Do you think you can kick-start it?"

"If I move my foot, I will fall over," She told me through gritted teeth, he fingers tight around her grenade.

"Okay I'll do it. Don't let go of the clutch."

I took a step bak, and then slammed my foot on the pedal. There was a short ripping noise, I rocked the bike, and she started to fall, but I caught her before she hit the ground. I didn't promise a perfect start.

'steady there," I encouraged." Do you still have the clutch?"

"Yes." She gasped.

"Plant your feet-I'm going to try again." I put my hand on the back of her seat, too, just in case.

It took me four more kicks before the ignition caught.

"Try out the throttle," I suggested. "Very lightly. And don't let go of the clutch."

She did this hesitantly, and I smiled in satisfaction when it snarled beneath her.

"Do you remember how to put it in first gear?" I asked

"Yes."

"Well, go ahead and do it."

"Okay."

I waited while she sat there.

"Left foot," I prompted.

"I _know_," She said, taking a deep breath.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked again. "You look scared."

"I'm fine." She snapped, while she kicked the gearshift down one notch.

I praised her. "Very good, Now _very_ gently, ease up on the clutch."

I stepped back.

"You want me to let go of the grenade?" She asked in disbelief.

"That's how you move Bella. Just do it little by little."

She eased up slowly, but suddenly, with an, "Oh!" She let her hand fall off the cluth. The engine stalled, and the bike fell half on top of her.

"Bella?" I jerked off the heavy bike in a rush. "Are you hurt?"

She didn't seem to have heard me.

"Bella?" i shook her shoulder a little.

"I'm fine." She mumbled, dazed.

"Did you hit you head?" I asked as I pulled her to her feet.

"I don't think so." She shook her head back and forth, checking. "I didn't hurt the bike did I?"

"No, you just stalled the engine," I interrupted her speculations of the bike. "You let the clutch go too fast."

She nodded. "Let's try again."

"Are you sure?" She didn't seem in the right state of mind.

"Positive."

This time she tried to kick-start the bike herself. It took her many tries, some good, some bad. I kept my hands hovering around her handlebars if she needed me.

She tried out her throttle, and her smile mirrored mine, I'm sure.

"Easy on the clutch." I reminded her, but she didn't react, she only smile tightly-for whatever reason- I couldn't see why.

"Ease off slowly." I said, a bit louder now.

"I will," she seemed bothered. Maybe I should let her make her own pace.

She was doing it great, when the gear caught, and she went flying. Dang I forgot to tell her how to turn, and of course. Her reaction would be her right foot to brake, like in her truck. Perfect. I thought sarcastically. As soon as I saw she couldn't turn, I jumped on my bike and flew down the road after her, I had made my kick-start faster, for a time like this.

"Bella!" I yelled oer my engine as I cut it off.

I pulled the motorbike off her, and she rolled over to breathe.

"Wow." she said it out loud just as I caught sight of her forehead.

There was a deep pulsing red gash on her forehead. It was smeared with sirt, and it was getting everything speckled with red.

"Bella! Bella, are you alive?" I crouched over her anxiously.

"I'm great!" she enthused she flexed her arms and legs, obviously not smelling the blood. I knew her well enough that just the smell would set her off.

"I don't think so. I think I'd better drive you to the hospital first."

"I'm fine." She probably could only smell earth, and grass, as it was smeared all over her face.

"Um, Bella? You've got a huge cut on your forehead, and it's gushing blood." Cut was an understatement.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Jacob." She pressed harder, as if to stop the bleeding.

"Why are you apologizing for bleeding?" I pulled her up to her feet. "Let's go, I'll drive."

"What about the bikes?" Bella asked, handing them over. I thought for a second

"Wait here. And take this." I pulled off my black T-shirt and handed to her. I kick started my bike, and flew back down to her truck. I leaned over the handlebars, wishing I could make myself go faster. I threw my bike in the back of the truck once I reached the bed. I coaxed her truck down the road as fast as I could, and threw her bike in the back.

"Okay, let's get you in the truck."

"I'm honestly fine," she assured me. I knew head wounds bled more, but I couldn't help my worrying. "Don't get worked up. It's just a little bit of blood."

"Just a _lot_ of blood." I muttered.

"Now, let's think about this for a second," She began when I got in."If you take me to the ER like this, Charlie is sure to hear about it." She looked down at her knees.

"Bella, you need stitches. I'm not going to let you bleed to death." I knew i was overreacting.

"I won't, Let's just take these bikes back to your house so I can dispose of teh evidence before we go to the hospital."

"What about Charlie?"

"He said he had to work today."

"Are you really sure?"

"Trust me. I'm an easy bleeder. It's not nearly as dire as it looks."

I was frowning, I didn't want her in trouble. I drove her into forks.

"You still okay?" I checked when she flinched.

"Yeah." She tried to be convincing.

"By the way," I added. "I'm going to disconnect your foot brake tonight."

We got to her house and I sat in the kitchen. She was taking forever.

"Hurry up," I called up after a while.

"Okay, okay," She shouted ran down the stairs. "How do I look?"

"Better." Much better, I added mentally.

"But do I look like I tripped in your garage and hit my head on a hammer?"

"Sure I guess so."

"Let's go then."

I hurried her out the door, and insisted on driving again. We were halfway to the hospital when she notices I was shirtless.

"We should have grabbed you a jacket."

"That would have given us away." I teased. "Besides, it's not cold."

"Are you kidding?" She shivered and reached out to turn her trucks heat on.

She watched me, to probably see if I was playing tough. Really, though, I was really warm. Maybe my body temperature went at a different thermometer. She was huddling up to keep warm, while I had my arm draped across the back of the seat. Bella started to stare at my face, and chest, and I felt self-concious all of the sudden.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just hadn't realized before. Did you know you're sort of beautiful?"

She worried I would take them the wrong way. I laughed it off, knowing she couldn't mean them yet. I knew what she meant. I rolled my eyes. "You hit your head pretty hard, didn't you?"

"I'm serious." As she can be at the moment.

"Well, then, thanks. Sort of."

"You're sort of welcome."

I knew she was beginning to like me, not in the same way, but she was realizing what my company was doing to her. I was thinking about this as Dr. Snow put seven stitches into Bella's forehead. We were at the hospital a long time. By the time we were walking out the door, Bella had to take me home.

When I got home I sat in front of the TV with Billy. I wasn't watching it. I was thinking. I wanted to talk to Embry, see why he was with Sam. I wanted to tell Bella how I really felt. I wanted to be able to go tell Quil everything, but it was too late. So many wants, with no way to get them answered now. I went to bed early, and put on my walkman. I was listening to my favourite song when I heard a tap on the door.

"May I come in?" Billy sounded urgent.

"Sure, sure, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing, Quil's just on the phone in the kitchen."

Perfect way to end the day. The phone had a long cord, so I could go where Billy wouldn't hear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, J, I found out something about Embry. Would you like me to start, or do you want to say anything before we start this up?"

"Well, nothing really, Bella flew off a motorcycle, into a tree. Deep gash to her forehead too, needed seven stitches."

"Oh my gosh is she okay?!"

"Yes, Quils, now what's your important news?"

"Well, so Embry comes into the store, right? And He's all like, 'I wish I could tell you everything. I wish I could tell you what happened. I'm not allowed and it sucks. I saw Jake with Bella today, out by the cliffs, we were cliff diving. I think Jake is next, but we can't be sure, just warn him, okay? We don't want him to hurt our Bella.'"

"Okay, did he say, or did he not say, he wasn't playing mind games? He won't give us one clue? That's just ridiculous."

"I know, maybe you should warn Bella. Tell her what's going on."

"I have. I don't want to say goodbye to her. That would kill her. So I'm only saying what's up with Embry."

"Okay, sounds like it's under control on your part Jacob. Hey, how's the whole 'calm' thing coming along for you?"

"Well, talking about Embry set off a nerve but I handled it. Look, I gotta go now. Sorry Q. I'll call you tomorrow if I don't see you alright?"

"Yeah, it is late. Sorry for calling so late. I just wanted you to know. Bye Jake."

I fell right to sleep that night, a deep, dreamless sleep; the first in a while.

"Charlie's getting nosy," Bella complained on the road to Forks after school Friday.

"Maybe we should cool it with the bikes." I say she was going to object so i added, "At least for a week, or two. You can stay out of the hospital fo a week, right?"

"What are we going to do?" Bella griped.

"Anything you want to do." I'm always up for something including Bella.

After awhile I broke her reverie.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Well . . . ," Bella bagan slowly. "I found this place in the forest once-I came across it when I was, um, hiking. A little meadow, the most beautiful place I ever saw. I don't know if I could track it down again on my own. It would definitely take a few tries. . . ."

"We could use a compass and a grid pattern," I said, confident in helping her."D you know where you started from?"

"Yes, just below the trailhead where the one-ten ends. I was going mostly south, i think."

"Cool. We'll find it." As always, I was always game for whatever Bella wanted.

So, Saturday afternoon came around, and Bella appeared wearing new hiking boots. She would pay for those later, since they weren't broken in. I didn't start immediately though. I had to take out a map, and drew a web around the key section of the map she described. I felt bad taking up the whole living room, being sprawled out as I was. It's not my fault I have a tiny house. Billy wasn't concerned by the hiking trip. Because he knew there wasn't a bear; or maybe he thought it was something else.

"Maybe we will see the super bear." I joked as I finished up the details of the design I had been working on.

Bella glanced at Billy swiftly, probably worrying over his reaction. But she needn't worry. Dad just laughed.

"Maybe you should take a pot of honey, just in case."

I chuckled alond with my father. "Hope your new boots are fast, Bella. One little jar of honey isn' going to keep a hungry bear occupied for long."

"I only have to be faster than you!"

"Ha! Good luck with that!" I rolled my eyes as I refolded the ap. "Let's o."

"Have fun." Dad, wheeled himself to the refridgerator.

She drove down to where she explained. She got out and walked to the dense, green wall.

"I went this way." Bella murmured, pointing straight ahead.

"Hmmm," I muttered. She hadn't gone hiking. I knew that. Bella wouldn't leave the trail.

"What?"

I looked between her starting point, and the trail marker.

"I would have figured you for a trail kind of girl."

"Not me." She smiled bleakly. "I'm a rebel."

I laughed while i pulled out the map.

"Give me a second." I held the compass in a skilled way, twisting the map to the way I wanted."Okay-first line on the grid. Let's do it."

Bella, thought she was slowing me up, and she was. I didn't care though. Being with Bella was a treat enough. I started to whistle a cheerful tune. It wasn't a tune i heard somewhere. It was the tune that made me think of Bella. I would regularly check the compass to make sure we were keeping straight. Bella broke the silence first.

"Hey. . . Jake?" she seemed hesitant to bring up her thought of a subject.

"Yeah?"

"How are things. . . With Embry? Is he back to normal yet?"

I was silent, and leapt forward about ten long paces. I then stopped to wait for her, I only did this to control my anger.

"No. He's not back to normal." She regretted bringing it up when the corners of my mouth pulled down.

"Still with Sam." And it wasn't a question.

"Yup."

I knew she wanted to shake it off, but I put my arm on her shoulder, because knowing she was here, helped me to control the anger I felt coming.

"Are they still looking at you funny?" Bella half-whispered.

I stared ahead. "Sometimes."

"And Billy?"

"As helpful as ever." I was being sour about it, in my attitude.

"Our couch is always open." She offered.

I broke the gloomy mood, with my care-free laughter.

"But think of the position that would put Charlie in-When Billy calls the police to report my kidnapping." Bella laughed too, glad to have 'me' back.

We had gone six miles when I decided we should head back. We cut west for a short time, and headed back on a different line.

"As long as you're sure we're starting from the right place. . ." I glanced down at her, and I had a sudden idea about why she wanted to find this.

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Then we'll find it." I pomised her, grabbing her hadn and pulled her through the last of some ferns, out to her truck. "Trust me."

"You're good." She admitted. "But next time we bring flashlights."

"We'll save hiking for Sundays from now on. I didn't know you were that slow."

She yanked her hand back and stomped to the driver's side. I chuckled to her reaction.

"So you up for another try tomorrow?" I asked, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Sure. Unless you want to go without me so i don't tie you down to my gimpy pace."

"I'll survive." I assured her. "If we're hiking again, though, you might want to pick up some moleskin. I bet you can feel those new boots right now."

"A little," she confessed.

"I hope we see the bear tomorrow. I'm sort of disappointed about that."

"Yeah. Me too." Bella agreed sarcastically. "Maybe we'll get lucky tomorrow and something will eat us!"

"Bears don't eat people. We don't taste good." I grinned."Of course, you _might_ be an exception. I bet you'd taste good."

"Thanks so much." She said looking away. And I regretted instantly saying it. Realizing she might have heard that before.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer. its not mine, its not yours. we all love twilight. but its Stephanie Meyers

**CHAPTER 9 Love Triangle.**

When Bella dropped me off at my house, I walked up to the store to talk to Quil. I knew she wouldn't know the date, but, I can't forget about it either, regardless.

"Now, Jake, my pal, I haven't seen you in ages, it seems so, doesn't it?" Quil laughed.

"Oh, I'm fine, came into the store to talk game plan with you." I chuckled. "Also to buy a few items in your fine store."

"Well, you're a few minutes too late on the whole game plan part. Embry was in here with 'the gang'."

"Anything good happen?"

"Sam comes up to the counter and says 'Have you seen Jacob at all recently?' and he was all worried over you again. So i said 'Yeah, he's been with Bella alot.' And Same goes 'Not good. Well, thank you Quil. We will talk in the future. But I don't want to count on it.' What did I do? Am I horrible?"

I had my mouth open. It was moments before I could even compose my face, let alone talk.

"Well, I think it's all connected, in someway. I mean Embry doesn't want us mad, Sam doesn't like my being around Bella alot? And not wanting to talk anytime soon?"

"I think you're right. But I don't know how."

I was browsing the Isles, looking, while i thought.

"what are you looking for, Jacob?"

"Conversation hearts, you have any?"

"Ooouuu, Yepp, isle 4.

"It's still not that way yet, Quil. She doesn't know it herself yet. She's changed though. She probably won't realize the date until she shows up on Friday."

"He messed her up bad, didn't he?"

"Beyond belief, how much is the candy?"

"The candy is $1.10. She's making progress, so don't give up hope just yet."

"Here, thanks for the info on Sam. I'll talk to you later. Bye Quil!"

I walked home slowly, to digest what Quil said about the gang. There had to be a piece of information we were missing. I thought about this all night, and most of the next morning during school. I couldn't make it work. I felt like I might explode if I didn't get this right. Why wouldn't it work? I shook the thoughts off while I waited for Bella to come 'round the corner.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I greeted her, once she was out of her truck. I held out her small pink box of candy.

"Well, I feel like a schmuck," She mumbled. "Is today Valentine's Day?"

I shook my head with mock sadness. "You can be so out of it sometimes. Yes, it is the fourteenth day of February. So are you going to be my Valentine? Since you didn't get me a fifty-cent box of candy, it's the least you cand od."

She looked uncomfortable. I meant my words to be teasing but, they were only so on the surface, and she sensed that.

"What exactly does that entail?" Bella Hedged.

"The usual-slave for life, that kind of thing."

"Oh, well, if that's all. . . "She took the candies.

"So what are we doing tomorrow? Hiking, or the ER?"

"Hiking," Bella confirmed. "You're not the only one who can be obsessive. I'm starting to think I imagined that place. . ." She frowned.

"We'll find it." I assured her."Bikes, Friday?" I offered.

"I'm going to a movie Friday. I've been promising my cafeteria crowd that I would go out forever."

My face fell. She was becoming better. But I hadn't accounted for her friends. She must have saw my eyes before I dropped them to the ground because she added, "You'll come, too, right? Or will it be too much of a drag with a bunch of seniors?"

"You'd like me to come, with your friends there?"

"Yes, I'll have a lot more fun if you're there. Bring Quil, and we'll make it a party."

"Quil's gonna freak. Senior girls." I chortled, while rolling my eyes. She didn't mention Embry, and neither did I. She laughed with me.

"I'll try to get him a good selection."

I talked the idea over with Quil the next morning. He was excited to get off the rez for a while.

"Awesome, dude! I so can't wait. What movie are we watching again?"

"I don't know for sure. But Bella's choosing it, so it won't be a romance; there will probably not an ounce of romance in a millisecond. I'm sure you can understand why."

"Yeah, I understand, I am so psyched!"

"She said she would try to get you a good selection." I laughed.

"Okay, well, I will see you Friday, then."

"Hey, and Quil?"

"Yeah, bud?"

"Stay out of trouble. 'kay?"

"Alright, Jacob."

I drove to Bella's after school that Friday in the Rabbit. I had just finished last night, this, was the maiden voyage. She got home, shortly after I stopped the engine. I was hoping that some people wouldn't have to go, maybe enough that we would only need my car. I really wanted to drive out to Port Angeles.

"No way!" Bella shouted as she jumped out of her truck. "Your done, I can't believe it! You finished the Rabbit!"

I beamed at her excitement. "Just last night. This is the maiden voyage."

"Incredible." She held her hand up (Way up!) for a high five. I smacked her hand against hers, but I left it there, twisting my fingers through hers.

"So do I get to drive tonight?"

"Definitely." Then she sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm giving up-I can't top this one. So you win. You're oldest."

I shrugged at her surrender, unsurprised. "Of course I am."

One of Bella's friends came around the corner in their Suburban, I guessed. I figured it was because she dropped her hand at once, and I saw the guy make a look not meant for Bella to see. Of course, though, Bella notices a lot.

"I remember this guy," I said low, as I remembered that day on the beach. Then something else clicked together, that I would have to tell Quil. "The one who thought you were his girlfriend. Is he still confused?"

Bella raised one eyebrow and replied, "Some people are hard to discourage."

"Then again," I said, thoughtfully as I remembered the faint signals, I had shaken off. "Sometimes persistence pays off."

"Most of the time it's just annoying, though."

As the guy crossed the road, he called "Hey, Bella,"

He looked up with wary eyes, at my height.

"Hey, Mike! Do you remember Jacob Black?"

"Not really." Mike, I assumed, held out his hand.

"Old family friend," I introduced myself. Okay, so maybe my grip was a little bit harder than necessary. We held our hands there longer, just so he could get my point. He flexed his hand when we broke it off.

Bella heard the phone, or maybe as getting away from an awkward situation.

"I'd better go get that-it might be Charlie," She called as she ran toward the house.

"So, Bella hangs out down there in La Push a lot?" Mike asked, as he edged away from me.

"Yeah, Everyday, after school and stuff-when she's doesn't work, of course."

I could see how he _might_ be popular. But he was obviously a Newton. I edged away from him, because he was seemingly nervous about my build.

Bella walked slowly back to us, and noticed our 'un-progressed friendship stance'.

"Ang is sick," Bella announced glumly. "She and Ben aren't coming."

"I guess the flu is making another round. Austin and Connor were out today, too. Maybe we should do this another time," Mike suggested.

"I'm still up for it. But if you'd rather stay behind, Mike-"

"No, I'm coming," Mike interrupted."I was just thinking of Angela and Ben. Let's go." He started toward his Suburban.

"Hey, do you mind if Jacob drives?" Bella asked quickly "I told him he could-he just finished his car. He built it from scratch, all by himself."

"Fine." Mike snapped. Why was he being so strange?

"All right, then." I said, as if to settle everything. I was probably more comfortable than Mike. I knew Bella was very uncomfortable with the outlooks.

Mike had a disgusted expression on his face, as he climbed in the back alone. The front seat was reserved for Bella. I was my normal slef, as I drove out to Port Angeles. I chattered to Bella, sometimes asking Mike questions, but not very many.

Mike then decided he would change strategy, for whatever reason. He rested his chin on Bella's seat, but she didn't like that. She leaned away from him, with her back to the window.

"Doesn't the radio work in this thing?" Mike interrupted me, staring at me like I had forgotten to put a back seat in.

"Yes," I answered. "But Bella doesn't like music." She never told me that, and she gave me a look confirming that. I figured it out by how much she needed to get that stereo out of her truck.

"Bella?" Mike asked her, annoyed.

"He's right," She mumbled.

"How can you not like music?" He demanded.

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. It irritates me."

"Hmph." Mike leaned back again.

When we got to the theatre I handed Bella a ten-dollar bill, because I was technically too young to see the film. I certainly didn't look my age that was for sure.

"What's this?" She objected.

"I'm not old enough to get into this one," I reminded her, although, the film wouldn't be that bad.

She laughed out loud once. "So much for relative ages. Is Billy going to kill me if I sneak you in?"

"No, I told him you were planning to corrupt my youthful innocence."

Bella snickered, and Mike quickened his pace to keep up.

Mike was still being the sulky child he was being in the car. He was so immature! Probably it wasn't her cafeteria crowd she had promised, it was probably Mike. She just wouldn't have had to hurt his feelings too. But maybe she just didn't want to have to go alone with him.

The movie was exactly what Bella would have wanted. The exact opposite of a romance, of any kind! It was unrealistic, but lived up to its title, _Crosshairs_.

I found it funny, how they made the graphics. I was sniggering at the screen when Bella heard me.

"What?" she whispered at me.

"Oh, c'mon! The blood squirted out twenty feet in front of that guy! How fake can you get?"

She started to really watch after that, and laughed with me while everyone around us screamed in horror. I chuckled as a flagpole speared one guy. Mike had copied me when I had put my hand out on the armrest in a position so Bella could lay her hand on mine. But, of course, she wasn't ready for that.

Mike gave up first to put his face in his hands.

"Mike are you okay?" Bella whispered.

This couple in front of us turned around wary as he groaned again.

"No," he gasped, "I think I'm sick." What a wimp.

He groaned again as he got up and bolted towards the doors. Bella got up to go after him, so I got up, knowing she would want someone to check on him in that washroom.

"No, stay," She whispered. "I'll make sure he's okay."

I came anyways, just because she sure picked out a 'great' movie.

"You don't have to come. Get your eight bucks worth of carnage," She whispered as we walked up the aisle and out the door.

"That's okay. You sure can pick them, Bella. This movie really sucks."

There wasn't any sign of a Mike Newton in any hallway, so I ducked into the washroom. Bella had to be glad I was here now.

"Hey, Mike, it's Jacob; are you alright?" he groaned and heaved into the toilet. I felt bad for whomever had to clean washrooms at night.

"No, sorry to wreck the movie, tell Bella I'm alright, though. I'll be out-" Another heave. "Soon. Ugh."

"Alright, sure," I left after that.

"Oh, he's in there, all right," I rolled my eyes. "Soft as a marshmallow; you should hold out for someone with a stronger stomach. Someone who laughs at the gore that makes weaker men vomit."

"I'll keep my eyes open for someone like that."

We were alone in the deserted hallway-not a soul. I went over to sit on a velveteen-upholstered bench, and patted the space beside me.

"He sounded like he was going to be in there for a while." I said as I settled in to wait by stretching my legs.

She sat down with a sigh. Once she sat down, I shifted so I could put my arm around her shoulders.

"Jake," Bella protested, shifting away from my arm. I dropped it, not affected by her minor rejection. I knew she wouldn't like it, but I had a point I wanted to talk to her about.

I pulled her wrist, so she would look at me.

"Now, just hold on a minute, Bella." I asked her in a calm voice. "Tell me something."

She grimaced. She didn't want to answer the question, because she was assuming what I was going to ask.

"What?" She muttered sourly. She can get into sour moods very fast.

"You like me, right?"

"You know I do."

"Better than that joker in there puking his guts out?"

"Yes." She sighed. I couldn't tell if it was in relief to the questions I had decided to ask, or if it was on exasperation.

"Better than any of the guys you know?" I already knew her answer so I was calm, and serene.

"Better than the girls I know, too." She pointed out.

"But that's all." It wasn't a question. I didn't mean for it to be a question, either. She seemed to have difficulty saying one word. She was probably wondering if it was hurting me.

"Yes," she whispered.

I smiled down warmly at her. "That's okay, you know. As long as you like me the best. _And_ you think I'm good-looking-sort of. I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent."

"I'm not going to change." She tried to keep her voice normal, but I could hear the sadness in it, it was awful, how hard she held onto him.

I was no longer teasing her, as I thought I asked. "It's stil the other one, is't it?"

She cringed. I seemed to pick up on alot of things she silently tells me. She didn't tell me about the music, but I caught on. She didn't have to tell me that it was still that leech that kept her hurting. I knew that without hurting her further.

"You don't have to talk about it," I told her.

She nodded, grateful.

"But don't get mad at me for hanging around, okay?" I patter the back of her hand, "Because I'm not giving up. I've got loads of time."

She sighed. "You shouldn't waste it on me," she objected, but I could tell there was a reason she goes into a coma-like state for four months, and then is at my house every day. She needed me, just as I needed her.

"It's what I want to do, as long as you still like me to be with me."

"I can't imagine how I could _not_ like being with you," She said, and I could tell she wasn't lying.

"I can live with that." I beamed.

"Just don't expect more," she warned me, while trying to pull away her hand.

"This doesn't really bother, does it?" I asked her, because her hand was cold, it had to at least feel warm.

"No," she sighed.

"And you don't care what _he_ thinks." I shook my thumb towards the washroom Mr. Marshmallow was in.

"I guess not."

"So what's the problem?" I knew what she would say, so was trying to figure out what to say, to make it a joke.

"The problem, is that it means something different to me than it does to you."

"Well," I tightened my grip on her hand a little. "That's my problem isn't it?"

"Fine, Don't forget it though." She grumbled.

"I won't," I promised her. "The pin's out of the grenade for me, now, eh?" I poked her in the ribs.

She rolled her eyes while I quietly chuckled. I traced random shapes on her hand.

"That's a funny scar you got there," I turned her hand over to examine a cresent shape scar that was a few shades paler than the rest of her hand.

She scowled at me. "Do you honestly expect me to remember where I get all my scars?" she seemed to try to remember, or feel the emotion of the memory, so she obviously knew what it was from.

She didn't plan on telling me, I would have pressed on, too if Mike, ashen, and sweaty didn't burst in right then.

"Oh, Mike," Bella gasped at the sight of him.

"Do you mind leaving early?" he whispered.

"No, of course not," Bella jumped up to help him walk.

"Movie too much for you?" I asked, not caring for the answer, as we walked towards the exit.

Mike's malevolent glare was hilarious, but I kept my laughter inside. " I didn't actually see any of it," he mumbled. "I was nauseated before the lights went down."

--sorry for the cliffhanger...it's as much as is typed.--


End file.
